Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Crete’

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Crete’ characterized by its small sized blooms with white ray florets and good branching; natural season flower date September 13-20; blooming for a period of 4 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Crete’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor potmums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemumcultivars with a decorative type flower, a natural season flower datearound September 13-20; blooming for a period of 4 weeks. The new plantof the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant ‘Crete’ is a seedling resulting from a crossingprogram, which was set up by a previous breeder, and which records areunknown to the inventor. The new and distinct cultivar was discoveredand selected as one flowering plant by Mark Roland Boeder on acultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlans in 2001. The first act ofasexual production of ‘Crete’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttingswere taken from the initial selection in 2001 in a controlledenvironment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlans, and propagated further atthis location. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classificationChrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements weregathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlans undernatural day length and temperature and planted week 24 in 2004. Thenatural blooming date of this crop was September 13-20 (week 38). Theaverage height of the plants was 25 cms. No growth retardants were used.No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. Notests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety producessmall sized blooms with white ray florets and a cream center bloomingfor a period of 4 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarin comparison to ‘Crete’ is ‘Unicorn’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,697). When‘Unicorn’ and ‘Crete’ are being compared the following similarities anddifferences are noticed: Both varieties have small white decorative typeblooms. The differences of ‘Unicorn’ and ‘Crete’ are (1). Plant vigor.The plants of ‘Unicorn’ are more vigorous than those of ‘Crete’. (2).Bloom size. The flowers of ‘Unicorn’ are larger than those of ‘Crete’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Crete’ as a new and distinct variety. The colordesignations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 1995.

TABLE 1 Botanical Description of chrysanthemum plant ‘Crete’ Bud SizeSmall; cross-section 0.3 cm, height 0.2 cm Outside Color Yellow-green145D Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bractsamong Not present disc-florets Involucral bracts color Green 138B BloomType Decorative Height 1 cm Size Small Fully Expanded 3 cm Pedunclelength 4.5 cm Peduncle color Greyed-green 194A-Green 138B Number ofblooms per branch Approx. 4-5 blooms per branch Performance on the plant4 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mmin length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of theflower Immature Yellow 2B Mature Yellow 13A Color of upper surface ofthe Yellow-white 158D ray-florets Color of the lower surface of theWhite 155D ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with whiteflowers and a cream disc Discoloration to color White 155D Ray floretsTexture Upper and under side smooth Number 180-200 Cross-section FlatLongitudinal axis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube 0.3 cmRay-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 1.6 cm Ray-floret width 0.3cm Ratio length/width High Shape of tip Pointed Disc florets Discdiameter 0.1 cm Distribution of disc florets Few, only visible in maturestage Shape Tubular Color Yellow 11D Receptacle shape Conical raisedReproductive Organs Stamen present in disc florets only Stamen colorYellow-green 144A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow 7A Styles ThinStyle color Yellow 13A Style Length 3 mm Stigma color Yellow-green 144AStigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as a spraytype potmum, outdoor mounded and round Growth habit Spherical shapeGrowth rate Low Height 25 cm Width 36 cm Stem Color Grey-brown 199B StemStrength Medium Stem Brittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin ColorationAbsent Internode length 1.5-2 cm Length of lateral branch From top tobottom 10 cm Lateral branch color Yellow-green 147C Lateral branch,attachment Weak Branching (average number of Good with 8-10 breaks afterlateral branches) pinching Natural season blooming date September 13-20Foliage Leaf color Upper side Green 139A-139B Lower side Green 136C-139CColor midvein Upper side Yellow-green 147D Lower side Yellow-green 147DSize Small.; length 3 cm, width 1-3 cm Quantity (number per lateral 15branch) Shape Obovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under sidePubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin SerratedShape of Base of Sinus Between Rounded Lateral Lobes Margin of SinusBetween Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape of Base Obtuse Apex MucronulatePetiole length 0.5 cm Petiole color Yellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘Crete’ ‘Unicorn’Bloom type Decorative Decorative Bloom size 3 cm 3.5-4 cm Color upperside Yellow-white 158D White 155D ray-florets Growth rate Low High

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.